Tavern Steakhouse Libertyville — Restaurant in Libertyville

We came here to celebrate my son’s recent achievement. It was the best steak we have ever had. And we are from California where steaks run wild in overpriced restaurants with high end names. It was so delicious, after one bite, we asked how long it would take to add another to our order. Melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked, most delicious steak we have ever had.

Not being from the area, and being worried about time to get my son back in time while he was out on Liberty, I was anxious to find parking and get in to order. Following the directions from Great Lakes Naval Base, it took me directly to the front (street side) of the restaurant. I tried to paint a little map for others like myself. So in the red, I parked on the street where GPS took me to the restaurant. But you’ll see I had to follow a little pathway to get to the back where the entrance actually is. I wish I had known I could have turned left on W Cook Ave and made that first right turn into a parking lot (blue). Would have saved us some time going up and down looking for a place to park on the street. Be mindful of the where the door is too! There’s a burger spot right next door, and since I let my son off to go secure us a spot while I looked for parking, he entered into the door next to Tavern. Very easy to mistake if you don’t know what you’re looking for. So look for the Tavern door!

Service was more than 5 stars. Spectacular. Above and beyond. My son wanted it all, and after months of boot camp food, he deserved it. Steak and lobster, oysters, shrimp, asparagus, French onion soup, we tried all the breads (cheese, olive, and wheat), and although my son said he didn’t want dessert, when MY tiramisu came out, it ultimately became his. lol “Mom, that looks really good. Can I have a bite?” Goodbye tiramisu. Haha Everything was worth it.

The ambiance was quiet, intimate, and relaxing. We were seated upstairs with one other military family also celebrating and it felt like we had the place to ourselves. We did go at 4:30/5pm-ish like right when they opened. So I’m not sure if that had anything to do with our ability to beat the dinner rush. But overall, it was the best experience and exactly what my son had wanted for his celebratory...

Took my other half to Tavern for Valentine’s Day.

This was our first and last time dining at the Tavern. Some of the worst service I’ve ever experienced at a steakhouse. The hostesses were rude, and while our waitress was nice, she was mostly absent and inattentive throughout our meal. It took three attempts to get the correct check. The supporting staff and bussers were careless—throwing our plates down, grabbing them before we were finished, reaching over us and our food, spilling drinks, and even touching the tips of our silverware with their bare hands. ZERO TABLE ETIQUETTE. I had high hopes for this place, but everything fell short.

They offered a special limited four-course menu for Valentine’s Day, advertised as a “deal” starting at $89 per person, which was misleading. Regardless, we planned to celebrate and order what we wanted. The dinner included two appetizers of your choice, salads, two main courses, and dessert.

We ordered two martinis, mussels, and foie gras for appetizers—easily the best part of our meal. However, we had no choice of salad, and the one provided had wilted lettuce and was underdressed. For mains, we had an 8oz filet with a lobster tail (which was so small I’ve seen shrimp bigger) and a 12oz boneless ribeye. The steaks were nothing special. I ordered a glass of Cabernet to pair with my steak, but it arrived after we had already finished eating—I sent it back.

The sides, which were also not optional, included mac and cheese, bacon Brussels sprouts, and bite-sized potatoes. All were flat and bland. Finally, for dessert, we had crème brûlée (which was soupy with zero firmness) and tiramisu (probably the worst I’ve ever had).

On top of everything, our dinner was extremely overpriced for the quality of the food. The price might have been justifiable if the execution had been better, but given the poor service, underwhelming dishes, and lack of attention to detail, it was a complete disappointment.

The best thing about this place is the ambiance and over-the-top décor. First and last time coming...

Location / Atmosphere - A very good option if you're looking for a steak house with excellent food and don't want to go down town. Very clean and well managed. A very nicely decorated restaurant and bar area that brings an atmosphere all unto itself. The ambiance itself is an excellent conversation topic

Food / Beverage - Bar area: Excellent menu of rare scotches and whisky's that you wouldn't think of finding at a bar in Libertyville. Didn't try the appetizers as we were planning to stay for dinner but based on other reviews and what we saw pass us by, they looked wonderful. Restaurant: Very creative menu where everything sounds excellent. Hats off to the chef and kitchen staff. I typically always look at the specials menu as I love the creativity. This by no means was a disappointment at the Tavern. There were many items that I would have loved to try but choose the 'parmesan crusted Red Snapper' which was cooked to perfection and melted in your mouth. Others in our party had the 'Red Snapper' cooked 'Edie's way' which was a recommendation from our waitress and a nice dish when paired with 'red wine' and the Lobster Ravioli which was 'melt in your mouth' noodles.

Service - Very pleasant and attentive staff. Both the bar staff and restaurant staff checked in on us several times to make sure we were OK. Very knowledgeable staff and are very willing to make food and beverage recommendations.

In summary - An awesome place with an excellent staff. Definitely worth...